And now, our weekly adventure of love and romance on and off the high seas, continues with:
CHAPTER 9
Into the Night!
The speed and erratic path taken by the orb was clearly devised to shake off all but the chosen user of the pearl, for no creature could have followed the course without some sort of telepathic link or bond to guide their path without falter, injury, or even death at some sharp turn or obstacle.And so it was that as the night passed, the mighty steed was guided on the unseen path to who knows where. And whilst they were ever alert and ears twitched at forest clearings and the crossing of a track, a calmness enveloped them both as if the world was theirs and theirs alone.
The rain eased and passed behind them and with it, like a bad dream, went the memory of what had transpired at the carriage.
The first light of day found them both warm and dry from the warm air as they went along. Erin had, once the road had become straighter, managed to climb up the traces and had found she could nestle securely on some webbing behind the saddle of the driving harness.
Such sweat that had been on the stallion during and after the initial flight from the carriage, had long since been washed away by rain, and in its place stood the sleek black shiny coat and flowing mane not of a carthorse but a true king of horses. For all it's exertion it was not hot nor did it show signs of faltering in its task. In fact at times it gave a wicker as if to comfort Erin, or show pleasure at jumping some small obstacle in their path. An act that Erin wished she had had some warning of in case she had loosened her grip and took flight herself!
Some short time later the orb started to slow, and with it the steed too. Erin raised herself up, balancing like a circus performer on her hind legs and thanked herself for years of practicing balancing on the rickety old fences back home, and later the yard arm on her own ship whilst chasing mice as a spot of nipped up Saturday night entertainment.
Ahead she could make out a thinning of trees and the resultant change in the colour of the foliage and undergrowth as more light of the early day filtered in.
The orb, still glowing started to veer away from the clearing, as though hesitant of what may lay inside. Instead it started to circle at a distance such that the darkness of the canopy meant they were unseen and unheard by anyone within.
Peering inwards, Erin saw there was only grass, tuffets, and at the centre an old tree stump. There were no birds to hear, nor livestock just the odd butterfly and a white rabbit.
A white rabbit! Erin remembered what the message had said and strained to look at the little creature as it was obscured as they passed behind the trees. There it was, standing tall and proud in simple tailored waistcoat and a sparkling gold watch in its paw.
Though Erin knew they had not made a sound, in recognition of being spotted, the rabbit beckoned to them to come forth. The orb once more grew bright, but as it grew near to the centre, it's brightness diminished, along with its size, until arriving at the rabbits feet it had returned to being the black pearl.
The stallion walked calmly to a stop beside one of the larger tuffets and bending one knee allowed Erin to dismount with some ease and grace to save her stiffened limbs.
Hopping closer to Erin, paw extended in greeting the rabbit struck Erin as the best dressed rabbit she had ever seen. His waistcoat tailoring was clearly from the exclusive Saville Burrow in London, and the pocket watch was from Cattier, no less!
"Erin" he said softly, "it is I, Speedy Rabbit, come from the Southern shores of England. Valentino sent message, via Captain Basil Blackheart, to come and gain you safe passage and assistance from my American cousins along this the last part of your journey to Louisiana. We shall need to go now, for, as I am sure you may have noticed, all is quiet here too quiet. I hear tell of a strange sea mist rolling far inshore along the Mississippi and I fear for what it contains. But first I must thank your mighty fine steed, and you should too, for I think you may have forgotten to pay for your ticket!
With that Speedy withdrew two special golden sugar cubes, that sparkled in the morning light, and put one in my hand. Then he went up to the stallion and bowed. The stallion bowed in return and daintily took the cube from the rabbits paw and crunched it loudly between his teeth, rolling his eyes what looked like ecstasy.
"Ambrosia," Speedy said, "tonic of the gods, and what this guy needs right now after his last little trip. Now you give yours and mind you say his name right. A-R-I-O-N. He is the son of Demeter and Poseidon and does not give such gifts of passage lightly."
Erin, stunned by her steeds nobility and the gift he had endowed, knelt before him and, head bowed, offered up the cube before the immortal king of horses.
Arion nuzzled Erin's ear, the warm breath coursing through her very body and soul, easing the fatigue in her bones and revitalising her mind. Then, taking the cube he crunched and released a long low wicker. "Thank you Erin" he said, "that was a mighty fine cube and payment, if such were called for which it is not, for the service of one in need. Be away with you, Speedy will take you to where you need to be."
With that, Arion turned and drawing himself onto his hind legs left forwards. the harness saddle and traces that had been Erin's saviour and seat for the journey dissolved into dust that feed away in his wake.
Erin turned to see Speedy smiling and putting the watch back into his waistcoat. "we're late, Erin and you've a very Important date! Quick follow me and don't look back else you'll get lost, and I'll not be answering for that to Val." Without any more todo, Speedy disappeared down the hole and off into a new world of darkness.
The tunnel network that Speedy navigated had for the greater part been freshly dug, and Erin sensed that a lot of effort and paws would be aching on her account. She made a mental note to send some boxes of salve to Speedy's cousins and a supply of special rabbit grass as a thank you.
For any ordinary cat, the next few hours the relentless pace and increasing temperature would have been too much, but with Arion's imbued strength, Erin was able to forge on.
Occasionally they would stop and talk to a local rabbit, a custodian who held the glow worms that illuminated the tunnel and who would after they passed, collapse the tunnel behind them in case of attack from behind. There had been tell, one had told them, of the local branch of the notorious Canadian Weasel Syndicate in these parts after a bounty that had allegedly been put on Erin's ears dead over alive, by the Queen of Spains representative, namely the Cardinal Camembert.
With Speedy's help, and a sprinkling of magic, they steered a course that plunged deeper and deeper into the soil where the temperature would have been unbearable had it not been for rabbits posted along its length to fan the air through. And then, just as Erin thought it would never end, the heat dropped away and a coolness came over the tunnel.
"We're under the Mississippi" Speedy shouted back, "won't be long now before your home and dry in the sun and with Val by your side." They picked up the pace and not long after, as they started to ascend, there came a change to the air, a sweetness that meant the sea.
Speedy stopped short of what seemed to be the exit to talk to a rabbit that had come to meet them. After giving the customary head bump greeting, and exchanging pleasantries about the weather and the price of feed, they separated, the other rabbit going off down a side tunnel.
"Well Erin" Speedy said "looks like this is it. The end of the road as it were. The way is clear, according to the chap I just spoke to, and the tunnel comes out just beside the gang way, on the dock. As it's high noon there's not a soul or sailor to be seen nor any scents in the air to indicate trouble. Good luck my friend, and remember Val will arrive soon at the dock. He'll be on the Black Floof so likely as not the place will have his lookouts ready to help you aboard. Look for the black sails and all will be well.
With that and a paw shake, Speedy departed down the side tunnel and vanished into the dark. Soon after the sound of the tunnel collapsing in on itself reached Erin's ears and she knew that there was no going back. Of course it didn't matter now anyway, and all she now wanted was a bath and a warm mouse to play with and to be by Val's side.
Moving quietly upwards, Erin could smell nothing unusual in the air. There was the smell of the sea, salt and fish, and the smell of nip rum, canvas, and tar. The sounds of gently creaking ships and gulls out at sea drifted to her ears. Peering out, she saw the harbour dock and a few small shops that lined the way. With the exception of some movement in 'The Cultured Mould' cheese shop, all the other shops seemed to have either shut permanently, or were out to lunch.
There where no black sails to be seen at all in the ships that had moored, nor out at sea. There were plenty that were old and brown and tatty, and others that were newer and beige. There was even a bright white set, sparkling glistening in the midday sun, on a ship still some leagues out to sea. But no black anywhere.
Between her and the gangway were some old sea dogs laying this way and that, legs akimbo amidst their own sea of empty grog bottles. Drunk as skunks, she thought, though in all her life she had never met a more sober sailor than a skunk. In fact most were tea total on account of not having any pals. These guys were so drunk their tongues were hanging out and she swore one fly flew right through and out the other side!
This lot she could cope with and they posed little trouble to an agile cat with extra zing in her step and a lover to await.
Erin left the tunnel and strolled casually along the gangway past the dogs, picking her route to the Black Floof to go from such little patches of cooler shade as the noon sun had not managed to consume. Stopping by some barrels labelled 'Manchego La Mancha', she looked down on the mill pond still waters to check if she looked presentable.
Too late did she smell the fetid cheese in the barrels. Too late did she see the reflection of the dog that crept but behind and too late did she see the net that ensnared her. But she did see the tall cat clad in red, that came upon her struggling body. The old sea dogs tightened the net so tight and close to her body she yowled with the pain as the nets cut into her skin.
To be continued in 'The Trap.' .............. Click HERE
To read the previous chapter, 'Is that Really You Princess?!' ........... Click HERE
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Credits:
Caracal image : Copyright <a href='https://www123rf.com/profile-rustyphil'>rustyphil / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
Woodland image: Copyright: <a href='https://www.123rf.com/profile_andreiuc88'>andreiuc88 / 123RF Stock Photo</a>
Prince Marv appears with kind permission of: Marvelousismarvelous.wordpress.com
Speedy the House Bunny appears with kind permission of: www.speedyhousebunny.com
Pizap paid photo image tool used for other aspects of images. All text and images Copyright Noirkittymews.com, and Erinthecatprincess.blogspot.com
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It's Sunday Selfie Time...........
I'm joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the fantastic Kitties Blue: XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Angel Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth, Calista Jo, and Cooper Murphy, from The Cat on My Head blog
The Sunday Selfies is a wonderful weekly celebration of blogs and bloggers from across the world, and shares stories and pictures for others to enjoy.
Why not join the fun by adding the code from our hosts, (a link is on their page) and posting your own selfie. It really is that easy...
This weeks selfie is........ a Backsie!
Well it does account for 50% of me so I thought it better get a look in. MOL